Ruthless C Shows WWE Velocity 1/10/2004 & WWE Sunday Night Heat 1/11/2004

                                                 

Check out the Ruthless Podcast discussing this week's Raw and Smackdown on the North South Connection Network.

It's Saturday Night which means it's time for some WWE Velocity!

                                       Match #1                                       

Billy Kidman vs Sakoda

Kidman monkey flips Sakoda.  Kidman hits a springboard headscissors but Sakoda quickly hangs Kidman's arm over top rope.  Sakoda ties Kidman's arm in the rope and wrenches on it a few more times.  He locks in a weak looking arm bar.  Kidman freaks free from the hold and attempts a BK bomb but his arm gives out.  Sakoda throws Kidman's arm into the turnbuckle and works on the arm even more. Kidman gets a sky high drop kick, followed by a flying forearm, and a turnbuckle vaulted bulldog.  Sakoda nails a single arm DDT to regain control.  Sakoda follows up with a rolling top rope flip into an arm bar.  Kidman gets to the ropes.  With Kidman down, Sakoda grabs Kidman's leg.  Kidman one leg kips up to his feet and hits an enziguri.  Kidman heads up top for the shooting star press to finish off Tajiri's henchman in 5:52.  (***)

Match #2

Shannon Moore vs Matt Morgan

Moore kick the larger man in the stomach and bails.  They cat and mouse around the ring.  The cat eventually wins and tosses the mouse into the barricade from the apron.  Morgan brings Moore back into the ring for hard irish whips into the turnbuckles and stands on Moore's throat.  Morgan hits a pair of back breakers separated by some strikes.  He knees Moore in the face and locks in a bear hug.  Morgan misses a clothesline, Moore lands a few strikes but a crossbody attempt is caught, and Morgan drops him on the top rope.  Morgan misses a charge allowing Moore to try a tights aided rollup for two.  Moore hits a corkscrew top rope dive, but Morgan hits a big boot to the flurry.  Sit down power bomb keeps Moore down in 4:30.  (*3/4)

Match #3

Rhyno vs Funaki

Funaki starts hot with punches, a high crossbody, and a pair of arm drags.  Rhyno bails to regroup.  Back in the ring, Funaki gets a head scissors but misses the follow up drop kick.  Rhyno crushes Funaki's midsection between his legs in a body scissors.  Rhyno gets up and lays in some strikes to Funaki's back.  Rhyno misses a charge and Funaki hits a bulldog.  The trade stiff chops until Funaki gets an enziguri.  Rhyno answers with a belly to belly suplex.  Funaki dodges the gore.  Funaki gets a school boy for 2.  Rhyno sheds Funaki on a tornado DDT attempt and plants him with a spinebuster.  A gore from Rhyno breaks Funaki in half and picks up the win in 5:00.  (**1/4)

Match #4

World's Greatest Tag Team of Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas vs Paul London and Spanky

Shelton Benjamin starts with some knees to Paul London. London stomps his foot, hits him with a drop kick and attempts a crucifix pin for a two count.  Benjamin comes back with an exploder suplex and grinds his forearm into London's face.  Blind tag to Haas, who clobbers Paul London from behind.  London flips his way free from an arm bar and tags in Spanky.  The hit a double fist drop onto Haas.  Shelton attempts a gorilla press, but Spanky escapes and attempts a rollup, followed by a drop kick.  Haas comes in and sends Spanky to the outside.  Blind tag to Benjamin, who gets a scoop slam, tags Haas back in for a double team back breaker.  Charlie Haas grabs an abdominal stretch, Spanky reverses into his own ab stretch.  Tag is made to Shelton who puts Spanky in a surfboard but Paul London breaks it up.  Haas is tagged back in for a dragon sleeper.  Benjamin gets tagged back in but just gets kicked in the face by Spanky.  Spanky ducks a clothesline and finally makes the hot tag to London.  London hits kicks, a dropsault, and a hurricanrana to clean house.  London hits a top rope stun gun followed by a spring board moosault.  The pinfall is broken up by Haas.  Haas then drops London on the top rope.  The heels attempt a broken arrow double team but Spanky breaks it up.  Haas hits an inverted atomic drop and Benjamin nails a super kick to out London's lights to get the win in 6:29.  (***1/2)

The only footage of this episode I can find joins the first match in progress.  Johnathan Coachman and Al Snow on the call. 

Match #1

Lance Storm vs Matt Hardy

Lance Storm hits a plancha and is fired up so I believe we might be hitting the home stretch.  We shall see.  Storm gets a springboard sunset flip back into the ring.  Hardy sends Storm to the apron by the tights and rams him into the turnbuckle.  Hardy gets a snap suplex for 2.  Matt locks in an arm and back stretch.  Storm breaks free with a jaw breaker, back elbow, clothesline, and a high knee for a 2 count.  Storm goes up and over in the corner and gets roll over fireman's carry for another 2 count.  Storm walks into a side effect for a 2 count.  Storm walks into a side effect for 2.  He misses a second rope leg drop.  Storm gets an Oklahoma roll and a clothesline.  Hardy follows Storm to the top rope.  Storm pushes him off, Storm misses a drop kick.  Hardy hits a twist of fate to pick up the win.  (** for what I saw)

Match #2

Mark Jindrak & Garrison Cade vs John Hennigan & Matt Cappotelli

The Season 3 Tough Enough champs make their debut here.  Snow is continuing his gimmick of calling Cade and Jindrak, Jade and Cindrak.  Cade and Cappotelli trade headlock takeovers.  Tag to Jindrak for a double ax handle to the arm.  Cappotelli gets a crossbody and Hennigan blind tags to get a rollup for 2.  Cade levels Hennigan with a back elbow.  Jindrak hits a back breaker.  Hennigan counters a powerbomb with a hurricanrana. Tags to Cappotelli for a double hip toss followed by a double kip up.  Cappatelli hits an elbow drop.  Jindrak nails a great flying clothesline.  He tags in Cade for an arm wringer who immediately tags out.  Jindrak hits an inverted atomic drop. Cappotelli flips out of a slam to get the hot tag to Hennigan.  He hits a series of drop kicks, flying forearm, and spin kicks.  Jindrak stun guns Hennigan with an assist by Cade to put away the rookie in 4:43. (**1/4)

Match #3

Randy Orton vs Val Venis

Orton gets a drop toe hold and grabs a head lock.  Val Venis gets two hip toss and grabs an arm bar.  He follows up with knees to the gut and a Russian leg sweep.  Val locks in an octopus lock but Orton gets to the ropes.  Orton grabs a headlock takeover.  Val escapes and works on Orton's left arm.  Val's boots come untied and Orton kicks him in the face when he goes to retie it.  They both attempt a move on the run at the same time and conk heads putting both men down as we go to commercial.  Back from break, Venis attempts a back slide for 2.  The match goes outside and Orton rams Val into the apron twice.  Back in for European uppercuts, hard irish whip.  Orton bends Val at the spine around ring the post.  Val attempts a suplex but his back gives out, which allows Orton to hit a back suplex of his own.  Orton continues to attack the back.  A Val sunset flip is followed by a neck breaker.  Venis continues with a half nelson slam and a spine buster.  He blocks an RKO attempt but he is able to get a spike DDT.  Orton lands some chops and locks in a sleeper.  Val slips out and hits a sit down powerbomb and three consecutive elbow drops. Val goes for the money shot off the top, but Orton intercepts.  Val is able to push him off and launches for the money shot only to land on Orton's raised knees.  Orton stalks and hits the RKO to get the win in 10:07.  (***1/4)

Orton will go on to defend the Intercontinental title against Rob Van Dam, tomorrow night on Raw. 

  

Ruthless C Shows WWE Velocity 1/3/2004 & WWE Sunday Night Heat 1/4/2004

                                                   

                        Check out the podcast of Raw and Smackdown on the North South Connection!

Josh Mathews and Bill Demott will be doing the commentary on this episode of Velocity and welcome us to 2004!

The only video of this show that I could find had the top caught off.  Don't worry, Josh and Bill were not in a terrible Final Destination style accident.  

Match #1

A-Train vs Funaki

During the introductions, Josh Mathews jokes that this is the 2,385th meeting between to the two.  According to cage match this is their 28th and final meeting, including battle royals and house shows.  Ten of those matches were tag matches.  Of the 15 total televised non battle royals, this is their 8th singles match on Velocity.  Until this point, Funaki had managed to win one bout in the series which was on the 9/17/02 Velocity. 

Funaki kicks A-Train in the legs to break free of a choke slam attempt.  Funaki tries to control the Train with armbars but gets mowed down with a clothesline.  Funaki rolls away from several stomp attempts and exits the ring.  A cat and mouse game begins with Funaki getting the edge when Train gets back into the ring.  He jumps on Train's back and grabs a sleeper hold. Train smashes him into the corner turnbuckles.  A-Train misses a charge and Fuanki gets a roll up attempt for 2.  A-Train recovers with a big shoulder block to a sprinting Funaki.  He immediately follows up with the Train Wreck back breaker for the win a brisk fun 1:16. (* 1/2)  Final head to head record A-Train 7 Funaki 1.

Match #2

Doug and Danny Basham with Shaniqua vs Joel and Jose Maximo 

This match is very hard to writeup with the matching gear and their heads not shown on the screen, I will have the correct participant occasionally when commentary mentions it.  A Basham tosses a Maximo back after a few collar and elbow tie up attempts.  He hits a scoop slam but misses the elbow drop follow up and Maximo is able to scurry away and tag his brother.  Maximo is immediately driven into the corner and the Bashams tag.  A tilt-a-whirl head scissors allows for a tag to Jose Maximo who hits a top rope high crossbody for a 2 count.  Maximo grabs a head lock but the other Basham pulls the ropes down and he crashes to the floor.  Shaniqua gets a few shots in.  Back in the ring Doug Basham gets a leg drop and a hard irish whip.  The Bashams tag with some corner strikes and cheap shots and a headlock.  Jose Maximo gets jawbreaker on Danny to break free and tag out.  Joel Maximo cleans house with drop kicks.  The Maximos attempts a poetry in motion is stopped and caught mid air as one Maximo is slammed on the other.  High leg lariat after a switheroo to win for the tag champs after 4:48. (**1/2)

Jamie Noble is speaking to Nidia backstage.  

Jaime Noble tells Nidia, he doesn't know what Rey Mysterio said to her a few weeks ago on Smackdown, but since it came from Rey, it's a lie.  Nidia doesn't know what to think, because she loves Jaime very much but what Rey said makes a ton of sense.  She feels lost.  Noble can't believe that Nidia would believe a man in a mask over him.  He can't believe how much of his money he has had to spend on doctors only to get no where with her recovery.  Noble says there is a chance that she might not be able to ever see again.  Nidia says no, she will see again. She promises.  Noble says that if you want to promise something, promise you won't get involved in my match tonight.  She agrees.  

Match #3

Jaime Noble vs Brandon Groom

As Noble makes his entrance, Josh Matthews comments on the ridiculousness of not trusting wrestlers in masks.  DeMott says that the real people you shouldn't trust are people who don't speak English.  To start, Noble backs the larger Groom up and sweeps the leg and controls Groom with a headlock.  Groom gets a toss and a drop kick.  Groom tries to control but gets sent into the the turnbuckles hard and Noble lays in stomps in the corner.  Noble hits a suplex and locks in a arm and back stretch.  Groom escapes with a back suplex and follows it up with some clotheslines.  Noble lands a back elbow and attempts a neck breaker but Groom grabs the top rope causing Noble to crash and burn.  Groom gets an Oklahoma roll for 2.  Noble escapes hits his DDT and a dragon sleeper for the submission win in 3:35.  (*3/4) 

Match #4

Orlando Jordan & Shannon Moore vs Akio & Sakoda

Orlando Jordan takes down Sakoda, but Sakoda grabs an arm as they trade holds.  Jordan gets a shoulder block, hip toss, and a head lock takeover.  He tags in Shannon Moore who somersaults over the top rope into a sunset flip for a one count.  Sakoda tags out.  Moore gets a shoulder block a back leg sweep.  Moore goes up and over in the corner and nails a spinning heel kick for 2.  Akio turns a springboard crossbody into a rib breaker.  Sakoda tagged back in to stomp on the ribs, hit a back breaker, and hangs Moore in the tree of woe.  Orlando tries to come into the ring, which allows Tajiri's henchmen to lay the boots in the corner.  Akio hooks Moore in an abdominal stretch.  He sends Moore into the corner and Akio runs up his back and lands on his feet.  He charges again but Moore side steps and hip tosses Akio into the turnbuckles.  Hot tag to Jordan who has drop kicks and back body drops for everybody.  His Johnson shuffle homage gets interrupted and his gets taken out with a little high low from Akio and Sakoda.  Moore breaks up the fall.  Moore moonsault planchas outside onto Akio.  Jordan grabs Sakoda for a running powerslam to pick up the win in 4:57. (**3/4).

Our Sunday Night Heat cold open is a closeup of an ambulance logo with a piece of blue duct tape labeled Stevie Corp.  The camera pulls back reveals that it is not ambulance but a golf cart with the self proclaimed general manager of Sunday Night Heat, Steven Richards sitting proudly in the drivers seat.  Test arrives and he is not pleased.  Richards asks if he needs a ride.  Test does not in fact needs a ride.  He would however like to take Victoria for a ride.  The only reason Richards defeated him last week was because Victoria distracted.  She was in tight spandex, so Test just wanted to go up behind her and say, "yeah baby, it's me Test" while making his "o" face. Tonight, Test is going to beat up Richards so badly in their match tonight that he will never be able to please a women again that's where Test will step in, because once you go Test you forget about the rest.  Richards completely no sells this and says you sure you don't need a ride?  Test gets frustrated and kicks the cart only to hurt his foot and hop off upset.  

Match #1

Test vs Steven Richards with Victoria

On his entrance, Test flexes and licks his bicep.  Victoria gets her own entrance for this match.  Test clobbers Richards from behind while he admires his "Flower" on the ramp.  Test blows Victoria kisses.  Test tosses Richards into the ring and starts raining down fists.  Test locks in an odd for lack of a better term, sideways torture rack.  Richards pushes off the turnbuckles with his feet to escape.  Test attempts a full nelson slam, but Richards slips out of that.  Richards scores with a snap suplex, swinging neck breaker, and a bulldog for a 1 count.  Test takes over but Richards escapes a pump handle attempt, but this time falls victim to the pump handle.  Test ties him in the ropes, Andre the Giant style.  Victoria enters the ring and Test grabs her and plants one on her.  Victoria smiles, rubs his chest and kicks Test square in his quiz.  The referee has freed Richards, who gets a sloppy roll up while holding the ropes to pick up the victory in 3:30. (1/2*)

Match #2

Rico with Miss Jackie vs Brandon Groom

Rico spanks Groom.  Groom grabs a go behind and Rico bends over in a three point stance and grinds his buttocks into Groom's privates.  Rico goes on the attack with fists but falls victim to two hip tosses, scoop slam, and drop kick. Miss Jackie gets on the apron. Brandon Groom heads over to her but is still
able to duck Rico's clothesline attempt.  Groom charges Rico but Rico low bridges him to the outside.  Rico slams his head into the barricade ringside and then drapes him on the apron to kick Groom in his mouth.  Once in the ring again, Rico elbows Groom repeatedly in the head and hits a lifting kick.  Rico hits a sexualized elbow drop and pin cover for 1.  They trade chops.  A step up corner kick to the mush but Grooms down to the mat.  Rico heads to the top for a dive, but Groom gets the knees up. Three separate roll up attempts by Groom fail. Groom hits a spinning powerslam and heads to the top.  He misses a top rope crossbody and Rico finishes him with a devastating neck breaker in 3:48.  (*)

Match #3

Tommy Dreamer vs Matt Hardy

Matt Fact #1: Matt's first job was at a carwash.

Matt Fact #2 Matt is more extreme than Tommy Dreamer.

They trade slaps to begin.  Dreamer gets a scoop slam but Matt Hardy sends him to the outside by the tights and rams Tommy into the ring apron spine first.  Back in the ring, Matt gets a scoop slam, followed by a series of boots to Dreamer's gut.  Hardy heads to the top turnbuckle, but Dreamer pulls his leg and crotches him.  A Hardy back elbow sends Dreamer to the mat so that Hardy can miss a moonsault.  They reset with a strike exchange that Dreamer wins.  Dreamer delivers two separate styles of neck breakers, first swinging and then fall away. Dreamer hits a follow up death drop DDT.  Hardy turns a death valley driver into a side effect for a 2 count.  Hardy grabs Dreamer's kendo stick but misses with it.  Dreamer hits a sit out powerbomb.  Dreamer takes the cane up to the top and show boats to the crowd.  Hardy follows him up there and hits a twist of fate from the top to pick up the victory in 4:26.  (*1/2)

Match #4

Val Venis and Lance Storm wtih three ladies of the night vs La Resistance (Rene Dupree and Rob Conway)

Storm and Conway trade control holds, until. Lance goes up and over and nails a big punch to the face.  Conway scurries away to tag Dupree.  Lance controls until a tag to Val.  Val comes in and gets a scoop slam and they hit stereo elbow drops.  Dupree fires back with chops and forces Venis into the corner for the tag.  Conway is tagged in and connects on a back elbow, scoop slam, and a knee drop.  Val gets the boot up on a charge by Conway. Venis tries to climb to the top himself but gets pushed off by Dupree.  Dupree is tagged in and he exchanges strikes with Venis until Venis gets a half nelson slam. Both men are down.  Val crawls over and tags in Storm.  Storm is a house of fire with clotheslines and drop kicks.  He hits a steamroller and a springboard dropkick.  Dupree breaks the pin attempt.  Lance and Val attempt a double team maneuver but Dupree breaks that up as well.  Storm flips out of a slam attempt by Conway but Dupree grabs his foot from the floor.  This allows Conway to hit a devastating DDT and get the win in 5:43. (**)

Tomorrow night it's Raw in Memphis and Steve Austin is the sheriff!  What will that mean!?